Laying Mash

[blake101]

Quote:
I wasnt worried about dust, I was just thinking about waste. For the price difference I may have to go with mash. I would have thought the pellets would have been cheaper, less refinement...

 

[Mervin]

The situation may be different in your area, IDK. You'd have to check with a local mill.

As far as the refinement goes, I really don't think mash is more refined. The mash I get has never been milled into pellets in the first place. The components are just ground and mixed.

There is another benefit, at least for me. The folks at the local, independent mill seem much more knowledgeable in agricultural matters than employees at chain stores. It gives me an opportunity to develop a local relationship that provides a lot better "boots-on-the-ground" type of understanding.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
That description of the pelleting process is not quite correct.

First a ground feed is made, this can be bagged off as Mash/Ground Layer Feed or sent to the pellet mill to make pellets or crumbles.

The ground feed is "conditioned" with steam which adds moisture to the mix just prior to being made into a pellet. The feed is NOT mixed with water and then baked.

As the feed passes through the pellet die, the friction causes a dramatic rise in temperature and pressure which causes the starch gelatinization that makes the pellet stick together.

The newly made pellet them falls into a Pellet Cooler where the temperature drops and moisture escapes.

If the product is destined to be a crumble is is typicall passed through a Crumblizer which crushes the pellet to make the appropriate size pellet.

Jim

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
This is very true my local mill owner is a "chicken man" and has his own formulas using local grains and he will gladly mix up feed how ever I'd like as long as I buy 2,000 lbs of it. Thank goodness I don't have that many chickens and turkeys. I have thought about him making a turkey breeder because he'll store it but then my feed will not be as fresh...

 

[dipence71]

I use to buy layer feed at the local farm store. Then I found out about a yr ago the my local mill sells it and they only have the mash, so i got some to try and mixed with the store feed and slowly changed them, they have had no problems on the mash and I feel better spending my money on the local farmers grain instead of who know where it came from. I also used to get my rabbit feed at the farm store and recently found the local mill also carries rabbit feed so I am now getting all my feed at the local mill. Wish they had starter feed for my chicks....

I have ran too low and had to buy a bag at the farm store a time or two and they seem to go through the feed store feed so much faster than the local mill feed so not only is it local, cheaper, and a larger bag. It last longer.

I don't have a problem with them being messy with the feed, whatever falls on the floor they clean up pretty well.

Hope that helps.